On Thursday, September 26, 2013, Chinese company, Shuanghui, purchased Smithfield Foods, Inc.,the largest pork producer and processor in the United States.
Big deal, you say. Okay, well, let me give you a little background on Shuanghui. In 2008, 6 BABIES died and 300,000 were sickened after drinking infant formula and other dairy tainted with the industrial chemical melamine. Then, in 2011, CCTV revealed Shuanghui PORK contained clenbuterol, a banned chemical that is harmful to humans. How's that grab ya?!
Now, I'm not saying you should ban this company's products. I don't do that. We're all adults; and, we should all be able to make our own decisions about what we and our families eat. That being said, I do want you to be aware of the dangers. You can choose to trust the government agencies in charge of imported foods. You know, because they've done such a great job so far. Or, you can do a little research yourself and then, make your decision. Simply doing a google search should do it.
Smithfield Foods, Inc. sells specialty brands, Paula Deen Collection, and international brands, Weight Watchers. The company's CORE brands are Armour, Carando, Cook's Ham, Curly's foods, Eckrich, Farmland, Gwalty, Healthy Ones, John Morrell, Kretschmar, Margherita, and Smithfield.
Also, keep in mind that some medications are derived from pigs. Heparin, an anticoagulant used in dialysis to prevent and treat blood clots in veins, arteries, and lungs, is one of them. In 2008, people on heparin, suffered from breathing difficulties, nausea, sweating, and low blood pressure resulting in heart problems. This heparin was contaminated by a non-naturally occurring molecule linked directly to its manufacturer in China.
And, let's not forget about the antibiotic resistant viruses originating in China, the cross-contamination due to the proximity of hog and chicken farming, and the overuse of antibiotics in their farm animals.
Oh, right, and the poor dogs and cats who died after eating tainted treats and food from China.
So, there's the facts. Do with it what you will. You decide. Is it sweet or sour pork?
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